We continue our 2026 NFL Draft preview of draft prospects that could interest the Dallas Cowboys. Today we are looking at linebacker Jake Golday from Cincinnati.
Jake Golday
LB
Cincinnati Bearcats
Senior
Recruit rating N/A
6’4”
239 lbs
History
In his first year at Central Arkansas, Golday played in four games and had a redshirt year. His early career redshirt usage came down to a torn meniscus and he played only 17 defensive snaps.
In 2022, he became a real contributor and was credited with 37 tackles and 5.5 tackles for
loss with one sack, featuring in 11 games.
His third season was his breakout. He had a team-high of 84 tackles, seven TFL, and 4.5 sacks, plus four double-digit tackle games and a season-high 14 tackles at Austin Peay. He also earned United Athletic Conference All-Academic Team recognition that season.
In 2024, Golday transferred to Cincinnati and became one of the Big 12’s top linebackers, finishing second on the team with 58 tackles and seven TFL and earning All-Big 12 Honorable Mention. His signature performance was at UCF where made six tackles, 2.5 TFL, 1.5 sacks, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery that killed a potential scoring drive and helped spark Cincinnati’s first points. He started eight games and played in all 12, and played through injuries late in the year that limited him over the final three games.
Last year became the season that made him a draft name. He finished the year with 105 tackles, 3.5 sacks, six TFL, one forced fumble, three passes defended, and he had multiple high-volume games. He had 14 tackles versus Bowling Green, 12 tackles against Utah, and 13 tackles with a TFL against Arizona.
2025 Statistics
681 Defensive Snaps
105 Total Tackles
6 TFL
3.5 Sack
18 Total Pressures
3 Pass Breakups
1 Forced Fumble
10 Missed Tackles
0 Penalties
Snap by Position
On the line: 17%
Box: 46%
Slot: 36%
NFL Combine/Pro Day
Awards
2023: United Athletic Conference Football All-Academic Team
2025: First-Team All-Big 12
Scorecard
Overall– 81.4
Speed- 80
Acceleration- 76
Agility- 72
Strength- 79
Tackling- 80
Run Defense- 85
Pass Rush- 64
Coverage- 78
Discipline- 99
THE GOOD
- Has a rare size-speed combination
- Is a true sideline-to-sideline athlete
- Excellent at hunting plays from the weak side and consistently arrives on time
- Plays physical in traffic
- Reliable tackle finisher, wraps up and gets runners down
- Has blitz value from an EDGE to LB background
- Functional versatility playing anywhere on the line or in the box or covering tight ends
- Shows high end traits in instincts, football IQ, and leadership
THE BAD
- Can get stuck on guards when they climb
- Play strength and anchor at the point of attack needs work
- Not always sturdy when runs come downhill and he has to hold his gap through contact
- Man coverage issues where he can be stressed by option routes
- His aggressiveness can pull him out of position on play-action and misdirection
- Will occasionally lunge or arrive too hot and miss tackles in space
- Medical durability flags
THE FIT
Golday fits best as a nickel-heavy MIKE linebacker on an odd front that keeps him clean and lets him win with diagnosis, range, and finishing rather than asking him to stack-and-shed. If defensive coordinators let him trigger downhill on run fits, while also using him as a pressure player using his closing burst then they will get the best version of him. Early in his career he’s most valuable as a high-motor three-down linebacker who lives in pursuit and tackle production, with his ceiling tied to how well he holds up taking on NFL blocks.
SUMMARY
Jake Golday’s tape reads like a modern toolsy linebacker who wins with athleticism. He’s long, rangy and quick to trigger, with good closing burst and a downhill temperament that shows up in high tackle production and frequent negative plays. His versatility is fantastic thanks to his edge to linebacker conversion background, which has given him a good ability to blitz, and comfort working in zone.
The main concerns are mostly physical. Taking on and shedding blocks from guards, maintaining gap discipline when he over-triggers, and proving to be more consistent in man coverage are big areas of development. If he refines these issues he profiles as a starting-caliber linebacker, and if not, he still projects as a high-end special teams and core rotation player with pressure package value.
PRO COMPARISON
K.J. Wright
BTB OVERALL RANKING
52nd
CONSENSUS OVERALL RANKING
50th
(Consensus ranking based on the average ranking from 90 major scoring services, including BTB)
